Smoke-consuming furnace



No. 750,786. PATENTED JAN. 36, 1904. J. A. WILLARD.

SMOKE CONSUMING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1903. RENEWED 0GT.23,1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented January 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. WILLARD, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHSTO \VILLIAM M. LASLEY, THEODORE H. LASLEY, AND CHARLES L. HALL, OFCHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

SMOKE-CONSUMING FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 50,786, datedJanuary 26, 1904.

Application filed January 6, 1903. Renewed October 23, 1903. Serial No.178,283. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. IVILLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Smoke ConsumingFurnaces, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a smoke-consuming furnace; and it has for itsobject to provide an improved automatic device of simple and relativelyinexpensive construction for reducing the emission and effecting theconsumption of smoke in steam-boiler furnaces and also for increasingthe efficiency of steamboilers by utilizing the gases which wouldotherwise in a large measure escape through the stack or chimney.

To these ends my invention consists in the features and in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims following thedescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of asteamboiler furnace equipped with my improved apparatus, portionsthereof being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, on anenlarged scale, of the valves for controlling the admission of and theeduction of steam to the cylinder. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the valvefor controlling the admission of the unconsumed gases and atmosphericair to the rotary. blower or fan.

In carrying my invention into practice I employ a pressure-bloweri soarranged that it draws the gases and unconsumed products of combustionfrom the rear end of the boiler through an intake having an air-inletvalve automatically controlled and delivering the same to the under sideof the tire in the combustion-chamber of the furnace. Thence it isforced through the tire, and the gases are ignited and consumed.Furthermore, I provide an automatic device for controlling thestackdamper, an air-valve, and a gas-valve, and simple and novelmechanism for automatically actuating said damper and valves.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the steam-boiler, and2 the boiler-fur- 5 nace, both of which maybe constructed in any usualwell-known or preferred manner. The numeral 3 indicates thecombustion-chamber of the furnace, in which are arranged .gratebars 4.The grate-bars are preferably 1101- 55 low and are provided with lateralopenings 5, for a purpose hereinafter explained. In rear of thefire-grate is a bridge-wall 6, as usual, and beneath the grate is anash-pit 7, which is closed air-tight by a door 8.

The numeral 9 indicates a rotary blower of any suitable construction anddriven from any suitable source of power. Leading from the blower 9 isan eduction-pipe 10, which is connected by branch pipes 11 to the hollowgrate- 5 bars. It is not necessary that all the gratebars be hollow, asin the example herein illustrated I have shown only each alternategratebar as being made hollow, the intervening grate-bars being providedwith apertures 12, 7 0 through which the air, smoke, and gases which areconveyed to said hollow grate-bars are discharged.

Arranged in the rear end of the furnace, preferably in rear and near thetop of the 75 boiler, is an intake consisting of an inverted metallictrough-shaped casing 13, open at its bottom and extending transverselyacross the rear end of the furnace.

Connected to one end of the intake 13 is a 80 suction-pipe 16, whichcommunicates at its other end with a settling-chamber 16. The upper endof the suction-pipe 16 is provided with an air-inlet 14, which iscontrolled by a supplemental valve 15.

Leading from the settling-chamber 16 is a pipe 16 which communicateswith said settling-chamber intermediate the top and bottom of thelatter, and said settling-chamber is provided at its lower end with adoor 16", 9 which is normally closed, but which may be opened forcleaning out the soot.

The pipe 16 communicates at its other end with a combined air and gasfeed casing 17, comprising a tubular section which is fitted at one endin the blower and at its other end to the suction-pipe 16".

Formed in the upper side of the tubular section or casing 17 is anaperture 18, over which is formed a flaring or bell-mouthed hood 19,which communicates at its outer end with the atmosphere. Pivoted to thetubular casing, at one side of the aperture, is a valve 20, which whenraised to a horizontal position closes the aperture 18, so as to excludethe air and establish an unobstructed communication between thesuction-pipe 16 and the blower. hen said valve is lowered, it rests onthe bottom of the said section and shuts off communication between thesuction pipe 16 and the blower and establishes communication between thelatter and the atmosphere through the hood 19.

The valve 20 is mounted at one edge on a pintle 21, journaledtransversely in the said section, and on the outer end of said pintle isfixed a crank-arm 22, weighted at its free end, as at 23, whereby saidvalve under normal conditions will be lowered, so as to shut oficommunication between the suction-pipe 16 and the blower and opencommunication between the latter and the atmosphere.

The supplemental air-valve 15 before referred to is connected to apivoted lever 24, the free end of which is weighted, as at 25, wherebysaid valve is normally held closed to exclude the atmosphere from theintake 13. To said free end of the lever 24 is connected one end of acable 26, which passes around a guide-pulley 27 and is connected at itsother end to a crank-arm 28.

Arranged in the stack 29 of the furnace is a damper-valve 30, which ismounted on a pivoted rod 31, which passes transversely through the stackand to one end of which is afiixed a crank-arm 36.

To the crank-arm 28 is also attached a cable 32, which passes around aguide-pulley 33 and is connected to one end of a connectingrocl 34, thefree end of which is attached to the weighted end of the crank-arm 22,before referred to. The end of the cable 32 is weighted, as at 35.Instead of attaching the cable 32 to the crank-arm 28 of thedamper-valve it may be attached to the cable 26 at any suitable pointbetween the guide-pulley 33 and said crank-arm 28.

To the free end of the crank-arm 36 is attached one end of aconnecting-rod 37, the other end of which is attached to a piston-rod38, provided at its lower end with a piston 39, which is adapted toreciprocate in a verticallyarranged cylinder 40. To the upper end ofsaid cylinder is connected one end of a steampipe 41, the other end ofwhich has fitted thereon a three-way valve 42, said valve beingconnected to the steam-space of the boiler by a steam-pipe 43. Saidthree-way valve 42 is provided with a minute escape-aperture 42, which,when the valve is closed, operates to permit the steam to escape veryslowly from the cylinder.

Fixed on the stem of the valve 42 is a lever 44, by means of which saidvalve may be turned to place the cylinder 40 in communication with theboiler and to cut it off therefrom.

The lever 44 projects downwardly in the path of a catch 45, formed on orattached to the furnace-door 46, that controls the feedopening 47 of thefurnace, the arrangement being such that when the door 46 is opened thecatch 45 will oscillate or swing to one side of the lever 44, andthereby open the valve 42 in such manner as to place the cylinder 40 incommunication with the steam-space of the boiler.

I It is a fact of universal knowledge that the greatest amount of smokeis generated in a steam-boiler when the firing takes place and forseveral minutes thereafter. This is due to the gases being driven out ofthe fresh coal or coming in contact with the hot fire or cokebed. 7 Whenfresh coal is thrown into the furnace, it deadens the fire and preventsthis gas from igniting, the result being that until the fire blazes upsufliciently to ignite such gases they pass up and out of the stack,producing dense smoke and resulting in the loss of heat that wouldotherwise be generated if such gases were burned. This result is avoidedand the gases consumed and utilized in the following manner, theoperation being entirely automatic and requiring no attention on thepart of the furnace-Stoker's.

hen the fire-door 46 is opened, it turns the I lever 44 in the mannerhereinbefore described and opens the valve 42, thus admitting steam intothe cylinder 40 above the piston and the steam-pressure, drives thepiston down, and through the medium of the connecting-rod 37 thecrank-arm 36 closes. the damper-valve 30, preventing the escape of thehot gases and smoke through the stack. As the damper is closed the airand gas valve 20 is raised to nearly a horizontal position through themedium of the crank-arm 28, cable 32, and connecting-rod 34, thusexcluding to a certain extent atmospheric air from the blower andestablishing an unobstructed communication between said blower and thesuction-pipe 16 In practice the cable 32 is so connected to the rod 34that when the damper 30 is closed the valve 20 will close only aboutthree-quarters of the passage in which it is arranged. The smoke, hotgases, and unconsumed products of combustion will then be gathered intothe intake 13 and the blower 9 will operateto withdraw said gases,smoke, and the like through the pipes 16, settling-chamber 16, pipe 16and casing 17 and will discharge izo the same through the pipes 1O, 11,and 7 into and out of the hollow grate-bars and up through the fire,where they will be consumed, preventing the emission of dense smoke fromthe stack and utilizing the unconsumed products of combustion to aid inthe generation of steam in the boiler. At the same time that thecrank-arm 28 operates to raise the valve 20 in the manner described italso, through the medium of the cable 26 and lever 24, operates to raisethe supplemental air-valve 15 from its seat, thereby admitting aquantity of air through the valve 14L into the suction-pipe 16, where itmeets and mingles with the smoke, hot gases, and the like, and in itspassage through the blower is thoroughly intermixed therewith, the smokeand gases being thus supplied with a sufficient amount of oxygen tosecure perfect combustion.

*hen the fire-door a6 is closed, the lever 43 is turned to close thevalve 42 to shut off the supply of steam from the steam-boiler to thecylinder 4:0, and when the valve is closed to this position the minuteaperture 42 permits the steam to escape slowly from the cylinder 40,whereupon the weights 23, 25, and 35 will operate to lower the valve 20and close the valve 15 and will operate, through the medium of thecables 26 and 32 and the crank arm 28, to open the damper-valve 30 inthe stack and put the latter into free communication with theatmosphere. This will not occur, however, until after the elapse of twoor three minutes after the fire-door has been closed, so that it will atleast consume the period of time above mentioned to permit the weightsabove referred to to raise the piston 39 in the cylinder against theback pressure of the slowly-escaping steam. hen this operation has beencompleted, the valve 20 will be in its lowermost position, and theblower 9 will then operate to draw in atmospheric air through theflaring hood 19 and deliver it through the pipes 10 and 11 to the hollowgrate-bars, and from the latter to and'through thelfire, thus promotingthe combustion of the fue From the foregoing it will be observed thatwhen the fire-door is opened to throw fresh coal on the fire the smokeand gases cannot escape through the stack, as the damper will be closed,and the gas-valve 20 is set so as to complete the passage-way from theintake to the blower, and the latter then drives said gases and smokefrom the rear end of the furnace and delivers them into the hollowgratebars, from which they are forced through the fire, where they areignited and eventually consumed.

As before stated, the cable 32 is in practice so adjusted as to causethe valve 20 to simultaneously admit to the blower both air andfurnace-gases in any proportion desired, the precise means for effectingthis result be ing immaterial.

The blower is herein shown and described as discharging the air andgases into the firebed through the hollow grate-bars; but it will beobvious that these gases may be discharged directly into the ash-pitbeneath a grate of ordinary construction. 1

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown but a single fire-door, whichcontrols but a single valve for admitting steam to the cylinder; but itwill, of course, be understood that the furnace may be provided in theusual manner with a number of such doors, and in practice there will beprovided as many valves 42 and levers 424 as there are firedoors, therebeing one such valve and lever provided for each fire-door, whereby whenany one of the firedoors is opened the damper will be automaticallyclosed. and the air and gas valve 20 and the supplemental air-valve 15will be automatically raised, so as to prevent the escape of the smokeand gases from the stack and cause the same to be fed to the combustion-chamber of the furnace.

In the passage of the smoke and gases from the suction-pipe 16 to thesuction pipe 16 they enter the top of the settling-chamber 16 and thenpass downward to about the middle of said chamber to effect theirpassage through the pipe 16, and the soot and similar heavy materialswill drop down to the bottom of said settling-chamber, from whence theymay be removed 1 from time to time through the door 16. r

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the taking of thegases and smoke from the back part of the furnace or from the rear ofthe boiler, as they could be taken from the stack; but this last-namedarrangement is open to the objection that the gases are apt to bechilled, and experience has proven that the best result is obtained byfeeding the gases to the fire while they are in a hot condition.

Various alterations in the details of construction and arrangement ofparts will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and I do notlimit myself to such details, excepting as hereinafter specifically setforth in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a furnace, thecombination with a blower having a discharge-pipe leading to thefurnace, of an intake for collecting the furnace-gases, a suction-pipeconnecting the intake with the blower, a valve in the suctionpipearranged to control the communication between the blower and the intakeand between the blower and the atmosphere, a damper in thefurnace-stack, and means actuatedby the opening movement of thefire-door for actuating said valve, substantially as described.

3. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnace-gases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a valve in thesuctionpipe arranged to control the communication between the blower andthe intake and between the blower and the atmosphere, a damper in thefurnace-stack, and means actuated by the opening movement of thefire-door for closing the damper in the stack and for turning the saidvalve to place the blower in communication with the intake andsimultaneously cut off the admission of air to said Valve, substantiallyas described.

4. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnace-gases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a valve in thesuctionpipe arranged to control the communication between the blower andthe intake and between the blower and the atmosphere, a damper in thefurnace-stack, means actuated by the opening movement of the fire-doorfor actuating said valve, and a supplemental valve for admitting air tothe suction-pipe substantially as described.

5. In a furnace, the combination with ablower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnace-gases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a valve in thesuctionpipe arranged to control the communication between the blower andthe intake, means actuated by the movement of the fire-door foractuating said valve, a damper in the furnacestack, and means actuatedby the closing movement of the damper for automatically admitting air tothe suction-pipe, substantially as described.

6. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnace-gases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a valve in thesuctionpipe arranged to control the communication between the blower andthe intake, a damper in the furnace-stack, means actuated by the openingmovement of the fire-door for turning said valve to establishcommunication between the blower and the intake, means for automaticallyturning said valve to cut off the intake from the blower when the damperis open, and means for retarding the opening movement of the damper,substantially as described.

7. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnace-gases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a valve in thesuctionpipe arranged to control the communication between the blower andthe intake, a damper in the furnace-stack, a supplemental air-inletvalve in the suction-pipe, means actuated by the opening movement of thefire-door for simultaneously closing the damper and turning the valvesto establish communication between the intake and the blower and admitair to the suction-pipe, and means for automatically turning said valvesto shut off the intake from the blower and prevent the air from enteringthe suction-pipe through the supplemental air-valve when the damper isopened, substantially as described.

8. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the fur nace-gases,a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a valve in thesuctionpipe arranged to control the communication between the blower andthe intake and between the blower and the atmosphere, a damper in thefurnace-stack, a supplemental air-inlet valve in the suction-pipe, meansactuated by the opening movement of the fire-door for simultaneouslyclosing the. damper and turning the valves to admit air to thesuction-pipe and place the blower in communication with said intake, andmeans for automatically turning the said valves to shut off the intakefrom the blower and place the blower in communication with theatmosphere and prevent the air from entering the suction-pipe throughthe supplemental air-valve when the damper is opened, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a steam-boiler, the combination with a blower having adischarge-pipe leading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting thefurnace-gases, a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, avalve in the suctionpipe arranged to control the communication betweenthe blower and the intake, a damper in the furnace stack, a cylinderconnected with the boiler, a piston in the cylinder, means actuated bythe movement of the piston for controlling said damper and valve, andmeans actuated by the movement of the fire-door for putting the cylinderinto and out of communication with the boiler, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a steam-boiler furnace, the combination with a blower having adischarge-pipe leading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting thefurnace-gases, a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, avalve in the.

suction-pipe arranged to control the communication between the blowerand the intake, a damper in the furnace-stack, an air-inlet valve in thesuction-pipe, a cylinder connected with the boiler, a piston in thecylinder, means actuated by the movement of the piston for controllingsaid damper and valve, and means actuated by the movement of thefire-door for putting the cylinder into and out of communication withthe boiler, substantially as described.

11. In a steam-boiler furnace, the combination with a blower having adischarge-pipe leading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting thefurnace-gases, a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower andprovided with an aperture opening to the atmosphere, a valve arranged toalternately open and close said aperture and open and close thecommunication between the blower and the intake, a damper in thefurnace-stack, and means actuated by the movement of the fire-door foractuating said damper and valve, substantially as described.

12. In a steam-boiler furnace, the combination with a blower having adischarge-pipe leading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting thefurnace-gases, a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower andprovided with an aperture opening into the atmosphere, a flaringopen-ended hood arranged over the end of the aperture, avalve arrangedto alternately open and close said aperture and open and close thecommunication between the blower and the intake, a damper in the stack,and means actuated by the movement of the V fire-door for actuating saiddamper and valve,

substantially as described.

13. In a steam-boiler furnace, the combination with a blower having adischarge-pipe leading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting thefurnace-gases, of a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blowerand provided with an aperture opening into the atmosphere, a valvearranged to alternately open and close said aperture and open and closethe communication between the blower and the intake, a weighted armnormally holding said valve open to admit air, a damper in thefurnace-stack, a crank-arm on the damper for turning the latter, acylinder connected with the boiler, a piston in the cylinder, a valvecontrolling the communication between the cylinder and the boiler, alever arranged to be turned to open the valve by the opening movement ofthe fire-door, a connection between the piston and damper for closingthe latter when the fire-door is open, and a connection between thecrank-arm on the damper and the said weighted arm for actuating thevalve in the suction-pipe, substantially as described.

14. In a steam-boiler furnace, the combination with a blower having adischarge-pipe leading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting thefurnace-gases, a suction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower andprovided with an aperture opening into the atmosphere,

a valve arranged to alternately open and close said aperture and openand close the communication between the blower and the intake, aweighted arm normally holding said valve open to admit air to theblower, a damper in the furnace-stack, a crank-arm on the damper forturning the latter, a cylinder connected with the boiler, a piston inthe cylinder, a valve controlling the communication between the cylinderand boiler, alever arranged to be turned to open the valve by theopening movement of the lire-door, a connection between the piston anddamper for closing the latter when the fire-door is open, a connectionbetween the crank-arm on the damper and the said weighted arm foractuating the valve in the suction-pipe, a supplemental air-inlet valvein the suction-pipe, a weighted lever normally holding said valveclosed, and a connection between said lever and the crank-arm on thedamper for opening the supplemental air-inlet valve when the damper isclosed, substantially as described.

15. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnacegases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a settling-chamberinterposed in said suction-pipe between the intake and the blower, avalve arranged in the suctionpipe operating to control the connectionbetween the blower and the intake and between the blower and theatmosphere, and means controlled by the movement of the fire-door foractuating said valve to regulate the admission of both air andfurnace-gases to the fire, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

16. In a furnace, the combination with a blower having a discharge-pipeleading to the furnace, of an intake for collecting the furnacegases, asuction-pipe connecting the intake with the blower, a settling-chamberinterposed in said suction-pipe between the intake and the blower, theinlet portion of the suctionpipe communicating with the upper portion ofthe settling-chamber and the outtake portion of said suction-pipecommunicating with said settling-chamber between its ends, a valvearranged in the suction-pipe and operatively controlling the connectionbetween the blower and intake and between the blower and the atmosphere,and means controlled by the move ment of a fire-door for actuating saidvalve to regulate the admission of both air and furnacegases tothe'fire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. WILLARD. Witnesses:

C. TURNER, MILTON RUssELL.

